Around Easter (shocking I know), time I acquired to baby Pekin ducklings. Apparently a few of my buddies (ex-buddies) thought it would be a great April's fools joke to purchase them and put them in my bedroom while I was at work... NOT FUNNY AT ALL... Then when they said they were just going to just drop them off at the local pond; I had to step in! I have raised/bred show pigs all of my life, so I have a pretty good understanding on what baby animals need... And I know that sure as hell wouldn't work out to well for them... So of course I couldn't let them ditch these innocent ducklings! So I have been taking care of them since then, practically the same way as all of the ^above posts, heat lamps, proper food, plenty of water, safe bedding, etc. The one huge problem I am having with them thus far, is how skittish they are around people (including myself). Now I am a full-time student with a job, so I may not always be home, but I make sure that I go and check on them before I leave in the mornings and make sure to sit with them as soon as I get home everyday. Eventually they may lay down while I am around them, but as soon I move they are gone! This is becoming a huge issue because I know they need/would love to forage, enjoy the sunlight, and simply exercise, but two ducklings are QUICK and there's only one of me!!! There's just to much traffic, loose dogs, hawks, and tight places where I live to chance it. Everyone say's to feed them by hand, but they have a huge duck feeder that I always keep full! So when I go to work with them by hand feeding them (with their regular feed); I feel like they aren't even hungry so its pointless!?! When we use to have a skittish piglet, we could give them Vanilla Wafers and BOOM! Problem solved! They couldn't get enough of them and soon enough, you couldn't get them to leave you alone! So... In conclusion, I have two questions: 1) Is there anything else I can do to help them become a little bit more comfortable around me? Maybe some kind of a special treat that is safe for ducks that they like? A different method possibly??? 2) I'm guessing they were born some time around Easter. They are still yellow, but are slowly starting to show a slight white tint in color and their tail feathers are kind of spikey (well, lets just say different from the rest of their bodies) Any idea how old they may be? Or how much longer until they get their down feathers and turn completely white? Any advice is welcomed, Thank You

Humidity consistency is very important. I've always mist the eggs after turning them starting about the 8Th day. According to my notes the humidity was 85% & Temp 99.5F from day 1 to day 25 there after increase humidity to 95% and drop temp to 98.5F for the last 3 days. Turn the eggs 3 x day first week, then 5 x day second week, then 7 x day to day 25-finish the last 3 days without turning. when you candle the eggs at 28 days, you should be able to see 3/5Th dark 2/5 should appear light. The dark side should have an irregular shape and the bill should be pointing up into the lighter side. You should be able to see movement and hear peeping. All birds can lay eggs with or without a male; so the answer is no. There are a lot of things you'll need to know before the next batch is set. How to store the eggs before setting them-What temp to store at-Turning the stored eggs-to clean or not to clean (how to do it correctly)-how long they can be stored? How to prepare the incubator-cleaning/disinfecting it? Washing your hands before and after handling the eggs. As you see the questions can go on and on. Google "hatching Duck Eggs". Check out the sites that are sponsored by an University or State. Many of the hatcheries have good info also. Hope this helps-Good Luck-Virgil

Hello and thanks much for the replies. Patrick, they do have a shelter (a chicken coupe... or duck house now :) ) and we have a chicken wire fence around a very small yard around it but when they got old enough, we let them out (you're right... we started with four and the dog got two of them before we made her understand that these ducks are not for eating and she now protects them as members of the 'pack' ). We have food and water and a little kiddy wading pool inside the fence for them but they bolt out of there as soon as they see us coming to shut them in and the male has discovered a way (probably over the top) to get out of the fence. We shut them in the duck house a couple of nights but it took alot of chasing them around to get them to go in there. Any suggestions? I was hoping that maybe between the nest dug into the ground, her feathers and leaves, the protection from the wind, and her body heat they may survive ... but no? She is really protective of her nest. I even dug a little place in the bedding in thier building and put the first scattered eggs into them (which have now been blown out and used for pysanky) and shut them in the building for a couple nights (which is equipt with a heat lamp) but they seem uninterested in it. Maybe I should move her eggs (even if they are not 'viable') into the building along with her nesting materials??? and turn on the heat lamp... I almost hate to encourage her to lay more eggs in a nest that is not in the building.

Thanks for sharing your duck story 13 years ago. We just moved into an apartment with a duck pond 50' from our back porch and it's got all different kinds of ducks and geese. The ducks are nicer and there are different ones, ratty ones, mean ones, wussy ones, skinny ones, fat ones...very often a new gang of teenie tiny ones under mom's feets. They're always fighin for territory or humpin each other. It is quite the backyard reality show. The geese are another story, there is this one that looks different than the rest and he's always causing trouble with the ducks. He's the alpha goose and he doesn't let anyone forget it for a minute. Somebody needs to mess his 6.75lb feathered butt up. Alpha goose pic included.